Flying Free
by Lianne Everdeen
Summary: Blood of Olympus spoilers! Set after the book ends.
1. Chapter I: Calypso

**ALL THE TIMES SHE HAD IMAGINED LEAVING OGYGIA, **a flying bronze dragon had not been Calypso's choice of transportation.

But now, as Festus gained altitude, Calypso thought that she wouldn't want anything besides this marvel of a creature built by the hands of Leo Valdez. Knowing Leo, she'd been certain that his way of coming back – _if _he was coming back, she had reminded herself – would be unique. But this – this was beyond her imagination.

Calypso tightened her grasp around Leo as Festus's speed accelerated.

"Last chance to see your island, Sunshine," Leo said as he fiddled with the GPS. "It's fading fast."

"I know," Calypso said.

She didn't look back.

As they broke through the first layer of clouds, Calypso felt like a tether was breaking. The curse that had tied her to Ogygia for so long had finally ended.

She was free.

The wind blew Leo's curly black hair into Calypso's face. It smelled like smoke. Right now, it was the best scent in the whole world. She leaned forward and put her chin on his shoulder. His warmth made it feel like sparks of fire were shooting through her body.

"So," she said, trying not to let her voice shake from the emotions swirling inside her. "How is it that you were dead, and now you're not?"

Leo laughed. "Long story," he said.

"I'm listening."

And she did. Calypso listened as Leo told her about the battle at the House of Hades, about searching for the cure for death, about all of his plans. She listened as Leo explained about the fight with the giants and how the gods burst from the sky, how Zeus blasted the Argo II to Camp Half-Blood and how Leo, Jason and Piper defeated Gaea.

And then, of course, how Leo had died and come back to life.

All the while, white puffy clouds floated beneath them. Festus creaked and groaned, but he kept pressing on. Once in a while Leo would lean down and tinker with the compass or the GPS, without missing a beat in his story.

When Leo had finished, Calypso sighed. "That is amazing," she said. "You are amazing."

"That's me," Leo replied. He turned and winked.

Calypso laughed. "All these adventures, Leo – this life of yours, it's so exciting. I don't know if I'll be able to fit in. Things have changed so much since..."

"You'll do fine," Leo reassured her. "My friends – they'll like you."

"Do they know?" Calypso asked.

"Yeah," Leo replied. "They know about you. But they don't know that I'm not dead. I hope fifty years haven't passed and I'll return to find Jason all white-haired or a bunch of Zhang grandkids running all over the place."

Calypso knit her brow. She didn't know much about the time difference between Ogygia and the mortal world. Time had blurred together on her island – a conglomeration of days that turned into one long forever, marked only by the heroes that came and went, never to return.

Except Leo.

Calypso rested her head in the curve of his neck. "Leo," she said, savoring his name. "My impossible hero. We can only hope for the best."

"How many freakin' clouds can there be in the world?" Leo asked an hour or so later. Nothing much had changed about their surroundings. Festus was creaking more often, and Leo relayed messages to Calypso that the dragon was getting worn out.

"We'll need to come in for a landing soon," Leo said.

"Where?" Calypso asked.

"I set the coordinates for Camp Half-Blood, but it doesn't look like we're that close yet. The GPS is still kinda wacky from Ogygia."

Calypso leaned forward and looked at the small, complex machines in the control panel by Festus's neck. "You'll have to show me how that works," she said. "That, and all the other things you've made."

"Oh, I will," Leo said. He snapped the control panel shut. "But right now, we're heading down. Hang on tight, Sunshine."

Calypso hung on, and Festus headed down towards the clouds. Calypso squeezed her eyes tight shut. For the longest moment, all that existed in the world was her heartbeat and Leo's, her breathing and his. The warmth of their bodies pressed together, the smooth bronze of Festus's back, and the wind, the intense wind blowing their hair and clothes up, up, as they fell, down, down through the clouds.

And then, Calypso opened her eyes.


	2. Chapter II: Calypso

**Thanks for the awesome reviews (already!) :D Any guesses where they landed?**

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><p><strong>BELOW THEM STRETCHED OUT MILES<strong> of red, cliff-like mountains. A road snaked through them – a freeway? Or just a highway? Calypso had no way of knowing. She had a feeling she'd be asking Leo a lot of questions like that in the days to come.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Leo shrugged. "I dunno. But we're setting down." He pointed to an expanse of dry grass that was coming closer and closer, next to a village nestled in a valley between the red mountains. "Right there."

Festus creaked and squeaked and groaned.

"Yeah, buddy, coming in for a landing," Leo said, laying a hand on the neck of his bronze friend. "You'll have a good rest and I'll fix you up so we can keep going."

They plummeted the last few dozen feet, and crashed to the ground. The force of impact made Calypso tumble off the dragon, followed by Leo. They lay there slightly stunned for a moment. Calypso looked up into Leo's sparkling dark eyes, and smiled.

It had really happened. He had came back for her, and taken her off the island. This crazy, insanely clever demigod had broken her curse. And gods of Olympus, Calypso loved him for that, and for everything else that he was.

Leo kissed her on the tip of her nose, then winked and got to his feet. "C'mon, Sunshine, we've got work to do."

"He's made of Celestial bronze, isn't he?" Calypso asked, running a hand over Festus's head. The dragon squeaked.

"Yeah," Leo said, distracted with examining the holes on the left side of the dragon's stomach.

"Where are you going to get that in this strange place?" Calypso asked.

"I dunno," Leo replied. "I think I can fix up enough with what I can get out of my tool belt so that we can finish the trip to Camp Half-Blood." As he spoke, Leo reached into the tool belt and pulled out a coil of thick Celestial bronze wiring. He unwound a long piece of it and clipped it with some wire clippers. He then wound it into a circle big enough to cover the largest hole in Festus's side, and summoned a small flicker of fire on his right hand. Carefully he melted the metal just enough so that it fused to Festus's body.

Calypso smiled to herself. For so long, she had ached to see Leo at work again. Now she had her wish. It was like magic to see his hands fly, exchanging tools and bits of Celestial bronze, patching up the biggest holes in Festus's side. She just knelt there beside Leo, watching him, relishing being with him again, and relishing in being free.

She hadn't even noticed the "tether" tying her to Ogygia until it was gone. Now she felt like she could do anything. And whatever she did, she wanted Leo to be at her side.

When Leo was done fixing the holes, he stood up and stretched. "I'm hungry. Let's go into that little town and see if we can find something to eat."

"You'd leave Festus?" Calypso was surprised.

"He can take care of himself long enough for me to get food. Nothing gets between Leo and food when he's hungry."

Calypso laughed. "Wait," she said. She went to her suitcases, opened the top one, and rummaged around for a minute. "Here you go," she said, and handed Leo a fresh white t-shirt.

"Fireproof?" Leo asked.

Calypso nodded. "This one's way too ripped up," she said, touching a piece of fabric hanging by his shoulder. His skin was warm and still sooty from the flames.

Leo took off his burnt shirt – it came off in pieces – and pulled on the new one. Calypso took a torn piece and stepped close to Leo.

"You've got soot smudges all over your face," she said. She dabbed at the black spots.

"Oh, Sunshine," Leo said, "soot smudges are the trademark of Leo Valdez, Dead Man Alive."

Calypso wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. He had almost not made it back to her. But his genius and Festus had saved him. How could he joke about something so serious? But that was Leo. _Her _Leo.

"Thanks for the shirt," Leo said. "Now, food." He took Calypso's hand, sending those warm little sparks up her arm and down her spine. "I wonder if we can find some Fonzies."

"Some _what_?"

"Fonzies."

"Yes, I heard that, but what are they?"

"Junk food from Italy. Cheese and corn and yum."

Calypso wondered what junk food was, but she decided she'd better not ask. "Well, I may have been cut off from the world for centuries, but I know enough to say that this – " She gestured to the dry road they were walking down, and the buildings coming closer – "is not Italy."

Leo shrugged. "There's always a chance. I came back, didn't I? Isn't that more unlikely than finding Fonzies in...whatever this place is. Somewhere in western USA. I've spent enough time in that part of the country to recognize this kind of land. Nevada, Utah, something like that."

"Were you out here for your first quest? The first trip you took with Festus?" Calypso tried to piece together bits of things Leo had told her.

Leo was silent for a moment, which made Calypso wonder if he'd heard her, but then he spoke. "Nah, not then. I was around this area when I was a kid, for a while."

"When you were a kid?"

"Yeah," Leo said. "But you don't want to hear those stories. Kind of downers, those ones. Food is much more exciting."

Calypso wondered what Leo meant by his childhood stories being a downer. Maybe someday, he'd tell her. "What about money?"

Leo reached into his tool belt and pulled out a gold coin. "Eh, wrong one." He dropped it back in and pulled out a piece of greenish paper with writing and pictures on it. "That's better."

Calypso took the paper from him and fingered it's texture. "So this is what you pay for things with now." She shook her head in amazement.

Leo grinned at her, and they walked the last stretch into the town.

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><p><strong>Not sure if Leo will find anything to satisfy his Fonzie cravings, but he's definitely in for a pleasant surprise... Stay tuned! <strong>


	3. Chapter III: Calypso

**Wow, so many followers for this story already! Thanks so much! :)**

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><p><strong>UTAH, APPARENTLY.<strong> The town was tiny according to modern-day standards, but for Calypso it seemed big. There was a place Leo called a gas station, another building he pointed out as a post office, and about six or seven other structures. Leo lead Calypso into a place that sold food.

The differentness of it made Calypso blink. All the bright colors and strange smells and the things people even considered _edible..._

Leo went around grabbing things off the shelves. Calypso followed him, and he handed her stuff when his hands got too full. She looked at it skeptically.

"You'll love it, I promise." Leo winked.

Just then, Calpyso heard noises, like engines, coming from outside. At the same moment she heard them, Leo turned towards the door, craning his neck to see. Calypso followed his gaze.

A bunch of black vehicles were parking outside the store. People started getting out. Leo gasped and dropped one of the bags of the cheese puffs he had decided were a good Fonzie substitute.

Calypso bent and picked it up. "What is it?"

Leo pointed at the cars. "I know those people," he said.

He rushed to the counter and dumped his share of the snacks on the counter, and motioned for Calypso to do the same. She did. The man behind the counter looked startled, but he took Leo's money and checked them out.

Leo grabbed the bag, and Calypso's hand. "C'mon! Let's go meet my friends!"

But at the same moment the bell by the door rang, and a girl ran through the door.

"Leo!" she cried. She barreled towards him and in a second had her arms wrapped tight around him. "Oh my gods, you're alive!" She sobbed into Leo's shirt. Leo dropped the bag and Calypso's hand and returned the girl's hug.

She was small, with a mass of brown curls. She wore a purple shirt and black pants. For a moment, Calypso was seized with a horrible doubt. She remembered Odysseus and Penelope, Drake and Elizabeth, Percy and Annabeth.

Who was this girl to Leo? Had he been keeping secrets from her?

But then, a tall, muscular young man with black hair and a purple shirt walked in. "Hazel, what—LEO!"

The guy ran towards them and enveloped Leo and the small, curly-haired girl in a massive bear hug. Calypso stood back, a little startled. These were Leo's friends from the Argo II, of course. But she wasn't sure how to act around them.

Finally the group hug broke, and Leo said to Calypso, "These are my friends Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang. Guys, this is Calypso." He spoke her name with such pride and triumph it made Calypso feel warm inside.

"Calypso!" Hazel exclaimed. She stepped forward and gave her a hug. "I drew a portrait of you!"

"What?"

Hazel laughed, pulling back. "For Leo. He put it on the wall of his cabin on the Argo, next to his childhood drawing of the ship."

The warmth inside Calypso intensified. "How sweet," she said. "I'm happy to meet you."

"Me too. I can't believe Leo found his way back. I mean, of course I can, because you're here, and Leo is a genius, but everything was so..." Hazel's luminous golden eyes were already teary, but she started crying even more. Frank stepped to her side and took her hand. "We thought you were dead!" Hazel sobbed, wiping her eyes. "I felt it!"

Leo stared at Hazel. "You _felt _me die?"

Hazel nodded. "Nico did too. But...there was something different about it."

"That's because I came back," Leo replied.

"But how?" Frank asked.

"Magic," Leo winked. "No, really, I installed a special injector into Festus. He gave me the cure to death in a shot. Pretty much right after I came back to life, I discovered Festus had found the way to Ogygia. Boy, was I happy!" He grinned at Calypso.

She smiled back. "It was amazing."

"Oh, yes," Hazel agreed. "I want to hear the whole story." She sniffled and leaned into Frank, and Calypso realized that of course, they were a couple.

"Maybe we should go outside," Frank suggested. He glanced over at the man behind the counter, and Calypso followed his gaze. The poor man looked like he was about to faint.

"Good idea," Leo said. He picked up his bag and took Calypso's hand again. "Come on."

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><p><strong>Some parts I'm not too satisfied with but YAY REUNIONS! Hopefully next chapter up tomorrow or the day after.<strong>


	4. Chapter IV: Calypso

**CALYPSO WASN'T SURE HOW TO ACT **around Leo's friends. She liked Hazel, and Frank seemed very nice, but everything was happening so fast, she felt like she could barely keep up, especially after eons of time living at slow pace.

She followed them outside to where a bunch of teenagers, some in armor, some in purple shirts, were milling around the black vehicles, talking and getting things out of the cars. Some of the locals were staring at them, confused. Calypso didn't know everything about how the Mist concealed demigods, monsters and the like in modern America, but she knew enough to guess that the mortals didn't see the armor, or the spear a tall boy was carrying, or the dagger strapped to the belt of a dark-haired girl walking towards her, Leo, and Hazel and Frank.

Leo smiled. "Reyna," he said, sounding excited but also nervous.

The girl wore a long purple cape, a purple t-shirt, (why all the purple? Calypso wondered,) gold Roman armor, and tall black combat boots. She stepped up to Leo and offered her hand.

"Welcome back, Leo Valdez," she said, shaking his hand. "This is a miracle. The rest of the Seven told me about the cure for death, but we thought..."

Leo nodded. "Yes, everyone thought I was dead." A flicker pain crossed his face, gone in an instant.

Hazel glanced around. "You know what," she said. "We should get some food for a picnic, and you can explain everything, Leo. How's that sound?"

"Sure," said Leo.

"We have sandwiches in the Fifth Cohort head car," Frank reminded Hazel.

"If we don't take too long," Reyna said. "We already were delayed enough by the monster attack in Missouri."

"But it's _Leo_!" Hazel pleaded.

Reyna smiled. "Of course. I wouldn't dream of not – "

"Oh gods, FESTUS!" Leo cried. "Reyna, do you have any Celestial bronze to spare?"

Reyna's brow furrowed. "No, I'm afraid we don't have any Celestial bronze...We have a little Imperial gold."

"Wait, no," Frank said. "Didn't Octavian have some Celestial bronze with those extra weapons he had?" He spoke the name _Octavian _with distaste, but he had hope in his voice. "The Third Cohort has them packed in their supply car."

Reyna nodded. "I'll go look."

Hazel spread a purple picnic blanket on the dry grass near Festus, and opened a cooler. On the side of the cooler was imprinted the letters SPQR with a wreath around them. Calypso was going to ask what that meant, but then Leo said,

"This reminds me of eating stew on the beach of Ogygia."

And Calypso smiled at him, and she was reminded of their idea for a garage where she would serve stew and cider, and that made her smile even more. That was possible now. Everything seemed possible now that she was free, and with Leo at her side.

Hazel handed out the sandwiches. "Please tell us the story now, Leo," she said.

So Leo did, the same story he had told Calypso as they flew away from Ogygia. She was happy to hear it again, happy to hear his voice and notice all the funny things he added that made his friends laugh.

It warmed Calypso's heart to see how overjoyed Frank and Hazel were to see Leo again. Leo's friends were so devoted to him and to each other. She hoped one day she could see all of the Seven prophecy demigods together.

When Leo had finished, he asked, "So how long have I been gone, really?"

"Little over a week," Frank replied.

"What happened while I was gone?"

"Well..." Hazel hesitated. "The Romans and the Greeks have become wonderful friends."

Leo grinned. "So does that mean Reyna doesn't want to kill me for attacking Camp Jupiter, even though I was possessed?"

_What? _Calypso filed away another question to ask Leo when they were alone.

Hazel smiled a little sheepishly. "I don't think so. Oh, Leo, it was so awful and amazing at the same time. All of us working together to fix things at Camp Half-Blood, but all the time we thought you were gone forever!" She burst out crying again. "We had a funeral for you, Leo! We burned a shroud!"

Frank put his arm around Hazel, but he looked on the verge of tears as well.

"Oh, but don't you know I'm fireproof?" Leo said. A small flame flickered in his right palm, and he grinned, but there was no teasing in his eyes.

Hazel and Frank laughed weakly.

"We thought you didn't have anyone to administer the cure," Frank said, his voice choked up.

"I had Festus," Leo replied.

As if on cue, Reyna walked over, carrying a small, simple Celestial bronze shield. "Frank," she said, "a pointer from one praetor to another: don't go off without telling your fellow praetor exactly where you went."

Frank looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

Reyna smiled at him and sat down on the blanket, setting the shield in front of her. "It's all right," she said. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to join your picnic. Frank and Hazel, you must tell me the story on the last leg of the journey back to camp. Leo, I found this."

Leo picked up the shield. "It looks great," he said. "I can work with this. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Reyna replied. "One thing we can thank Octavian for." She spoke as if she could barely force out the words, like they tasted bad or something.

"Who's Octavian?" Calypso asked.

The four demigods looked at each other as though they were trying to figure out how to explain.

"Um," said Frank.

"Well," said Hazel.

"A murderer of beanie babies," said Leo.

"A conniving, plotting, slippery legacy augur who broke all the rules of Camp Jupiter and was instrumental in Leo's...death," said Reyna.

"Oh," said Calypso.

"He was the one I mentioned who organized the attack on Camp Half-Blood," Leo said. "Wait, what? He was a murderer of _me _as well as stuffed animals?"

Hazel frowned. "Yes, Leo. He set off one of those onagers, and flew up with it...it's likely that the explosion..."

Leo nodded. "So that's what that scream I heard was. It sounded like a little girl."

Hazel laughed through her remaining tears. "Yes," she said.

Reyna had been saying something to Frank, and now both praetors stood.

"I'm afraid we have to pack up the picnic now," Reyna said. "We have to get back to Camp Jupiter as soon as possible."

"As soon as you fix Festus properly back at Camp Half-Blood, come visit us," Hazel said, throwing her arms around Leo.

"Oh, I'm walking you guys back to the cars," Leo said. "But yeah, I will."

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><p><strong>Some of this was kind of filler-ish, but I hope you enjoyed it! <strong>


	5. Chapter V: Leo

**A short chapter...not my best writing but oh well. Switching over to Leo's POV, I'm planning on doing alternating POVs like Rick Riordan does with three or four chapters per character. Thanks so much for all the follows and favorites. Please review! :D**

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><p><strong>LEO SUMMONED FIRE IN HIS HANDS <strong>to fuse the Celestial bronze shield to Festus's neck area.

"Hand me that little hammer, will you?"

Calypso held out a small hammer from the tools scattered on the ground. She smiled at him. "Your friends are very nice," she said.

Leo took the hammer, letting his hand linger over hers as long as he could. Her skin was soft, but strong and supple. He loved that she didn't mind getting dirty. Her brown eyes were shining, and he didn't know a single girl whose eyes would look like that while helping with mechanics. Except Calypso.

"Leo?" she prompted him.

"What? Did you say something?"

Calypso laughed. "I said, your friends are very nice."

"Oh!" Leo felt embarrassed. Had he really gotten so caught up in looking at her that he hadn't even heard what she said? "Yeah, they're awesome! I can't wait for you to meet Jason and Piper, and Per..." Leo trailed off, suddenly remembering about Percy. Of course. Why did he keep forgetting that Percy, too, had visited Ogygia? Percy, too, had been one of Calypso's heroes, along with all those old historical figures.

Calypso smiled sadly. "Leo, don't worry about Percy and Annabeth. That's in the past now."

Leo blinked. "Huh?"

Calypso threw her head back and laughed her clear, singing laugh. "Oh, Leo!" She took his hand, setting off a couple of the pachinko balls again. "I had a lot of time to think things over on Ogygia. I've realized I need to stop holding grudges against...them. It was so different there, removed from everything." Calypso sighed. "But now..." She glanced around them. "I have you. And this...new life I'm starting. Leo, I just thought...it's like we've both got a new life. You, very literally, and me, well, you know. And we've got it together." She squeezed his hand. "I'm terrible at making speeches. Centuries spent alone without people-"

"Organic life forms," Leo cut in.

Calypso looked at him in confusion, then giggled. "Yes, that's a good expression. But anyways, I've realized I have to let go of what happened on Ogygia. Except, of course, what happened with you." She smiled.

"Um." Leo didn't know what to say. "I...uh, I'm glad." And he was. It was just that her holding onto his hand for so long made his usual aptitude for comebacks disappear.

Calypso smiled again. "Me too. And honestly, Leo, I'm really excited to meet your friends. Annabeth and Percy just as much as the rest."

Leo threw all the tools back into his magic belt. "Done! Feeling better, buddy?" He laid a hand on Festus's hastily repaired neck. The dragon squeaked and clattered.

"And that is Festus-language for...?" Calypso asked.

"He's ready to fly but he wants better repair once we get back to Bunker Nine."

"Bunker Nine?"

"My huge, totally awesome workshop back at Camp Half-Blood. You'll love it, Sunshine."

Calypso grinned. "I can't wait to see it."

Leo held out his hand to her. "Shall we depart, my lady?"

"Of course," Calypso replied, laughing.

As they took to the sky, Calypso with her arms around Leo's waist like before, Leo thought about the tearful farewells with Hazel, Frank and Reyna. Things were turning out better than he could have hoped. He was happy beyond anything that he hadn't missed hardly any time in his friends' lives. He just hoped that when he got to Camp Half-Blood that Piper wouldn't try to kill him or Percy try to strangle him like Hazel had mentioned.


	6. Chapter VI: Leo

**Sorry this chapter has been so long in coming! I would like to thank my friend Fanfiction author Hope Prior for helping with this chapter! Also, I'd like to credit the tumblr "annabethisterrified" for the headcanon of a Caleo "get to know you" conversation which I based part of this chapter on. **

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><p><strong>LEO KNEW CALYPSO WAS USED TO QUIET. <strong>He didn't mind the lack of conversation as they flew through the clouds over Utah. It was nice to just be airborne with two of the people – er, well, beings – that he cared about the most. Even though he often could talk a mile a minute, Calypso could make his mind freeze up. Especially when she had her arms around his waist and her chin nestled in his neck. He could even feel the motion of her breathing against his back.

It seemed like Leo was noticing a lot more little details since he had come back to life. Granted, most of them were details about Calypso. But of course, Leo wasn't going to admit that to her.

After a while, Leo decided he should say something. And he knew exactly what to say. He took a deep breath and blurted it out.

"You know, Calypso, it's weird. I know that you don't like demigods crashing into your dining tables and that you make the best stew in the world, I know that you can sing like nobody else and you hide a pretty fierce temper, you're gorgeous and amazing _but _I honestly do not know what your favorite color is."

Gods, he'd gotten so much better at talking to girls.

Calypso laughed. "Favorite color?"

"Yeah." Leo blinked. Did this girl seriously not know what _favorite color _meant? For a moment, he felt like he had time-traveled and brought someone back from the past, like something from Doctor Who. In a sense, he was right.

"Oh, hmm..." Calypso hesitated, and Leo felt relieved. She _did _know what that meant.

"I'd have to say yellow. Golden yellow."

Leo couldn't resist turning back and grinning at her. "Appropriate thing to say, _Sunshine._"

Calypso frowned at him. "You did not," she said, teasing-mad.

Leo winked. "Yup, I did. Sorry, couldn't help it."

Calypso smiled and pressed her lips to his cheek. _Cut it out with the pachinko balls, _Leo told himself.

"So what's yours?" she asked.

"Red," Leo replied, reluctantly turning back to face forward. He tried to think of another thing to ask Calypso. "What about favorite food?"

Calypso laughed again. "What is this?" she asked.

"I'm trying to get to know you better," Leo replied. "Don't make fun of my questions!"

"I'm not making fun of your questions!" Calypso shot back. "They're just a little..."

"Unexpected?"

"Weird."

"Everything I do is weird," Leo replied.

"That's not true. Saving me wasn't weird."

Leo smiled. "Okay, whatever you say. Favorite food?"

"Well, yours is Fonzies, I know that much," Calypso replied.

"You're not answering my question, but yeah. Or my mom's Mexican cooking."

"Your mom?" Calypso's voice was gentle and curious.

Leo felt a pang in his heart. "Yeah. But come on, what's yours?"

Calypso still sounded thoughtful. "When the only food I've eaten for pretty much my entire life is what I've grown and cooked myself, it's a strange question to answer. I love strawberries, and...oh, gods, it's strange to think of this now, but back before...before Ogygia, I remember the Greek food..." She sighed.

Leo had never tried much traditional Greek food. "Maybe you can cook some for me sometime," he said.

"Maybe," Calypso replied. "So are you going to ask me another one of your questions?"

"Oh, yeah! Let's see...favorite movie – wait, no, I can't ask you that...um, favorite band, never mind. Uh... favorite...gosh, this is hard."

"Let me ask you one, then," Calypso said teasingly. "What's your favorite flower?"

Leo sputtered. "Um...um...calypso-flowers?"

Calypso laughed. "That doesn't exist, silly."

"Fonzie-flowers?"

"What in Hades?" Calypso giggled. "That doesn't exist either!"

"Then flowers I can eat," Leo said.

"Okay, that's fair enough. There are edible flowers."

"Wait, there are?"

"Yes, there are."

"You'll have to give me one to taste sometime. I can't imagine they're very good. After all, there's no sugar in them."

"Well, you could dip them in sugar," Calypso replied.

"Did you grow some in your garden?" Leo asked.

"Yes," said Calypso. "Violets, around the edge of the potato bed."

"Potato _bed_?"

"Garden bed, silly. Do you like potatoes? I love potatoes."

"Oh, yeah! With butter, and sour cream, and cheese, and...WAIT! CHEESE! Calypso, how...what..." Leo sputtered. "How can you get cheese on the island? Don't tell me you've never had cheese!" He looked back at her.

Calypso looked like she was about to laugh, but her expression changed quickly. "Oh my gods, Leo! MY COWS!" She shrieked, loud in Leo's ear.

"What?"

"_My cows!_" Calypso's eyes were wide and distressed. "We have to go back for them!"

"What the...?" Leo was confused. "We couldn't very well have put _cows _on Festus! And besides, what do you mean, go back for them? I may have beat the whole 'no man can find Ogygia twice' thing, but three times would be pushing my luck. I mean, maybe the gods could...what?" Calypso was looking at him with a strange, smug smile on her face.

"Leo," she said in a low tone. "Leo, I have no cows."

"Wait, what? You have..." Leo stared at her. "You were kidding? The whole time?!"

Calypso grinned. "Yes."

Leo shook with laughter. "You had me there, Sunshine."

Calypso smirked. "I'm surprised you believed me."

Leo was about to reply with some kind of witty comment, but Calypso grabbed his shoulder.

"Leo?" She sounded worried.

"Yeah?"

"What's that?" she pointed to something in the distance, above them, that Leo hadn't noticed.

"Oh, that's a helicopter."

"A what?"

"A helicopter."

Leo wouldn't undo what he had done for _anything_ in the world the gods of Olympus could give him, but _boy _did he have some explaining to do.

The sky grew dusky, and Festus began to creak and squeak.

"Okay, buddy," Leo said. "Let's find a place to make camp." He turned back to Calypso. "That okay with you?"

Calypso nodded.

They found a field somewhere – Leo didn't know where exactly, but he guessed they'd passed over Colorado because the mountains had disappeared and there were a lot of fields.

"I think it's Kansas," Leo said as he slid of Festus's back and held out his hand to Calypso.

"Kansas?"

"Yeah. State in the middle of the United States of America, famous for...um, lots of corn?"

Calypso laughed. "I'll take your word for it. When we get to the camp, though, you're finding me a map."

They had a makeshift dinner from the snacks Leo had bought in Utah. They sat side by side, leaning against Festus's warmth. Eventually, Calypso fell asleep, her head slumped over by Leo's shoulder. Trying to be careful, Leo eased her down so her head rested in his lap. He let out a sigh of relief when she didn't wake up.

Munching on a few of the Fonzie substitutes, Leo allowed himself to, for the first time, fully think about what had happened.

He had defeated Gaea, with his two best friends, and in the process, killed himself.

And yet here he was, sitting in the darkness in the middle of Kansas with his dragon and this beautiful girl sleeping in his lap, and he was very much alive.

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><p><strong>I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Again thanks so much for all the support of follows, favorites and reviews that I've gotten so quickly for this story. Kind of startling, in a cool way! :)<strong>

**Happy Thanksgiving!**


	7. Chapter VII: Piper

**PIPER MISSED LEO. **It seemed like everything reminded her of him. She would be sitting at the campfire talking with Jason and one of them would just mention his name, because it still flowed in with their conversations, as if nothing had happened. As if he wasn't gone. And maybe they'd go on for a few words more, and then catch themselves. Piper would reach for Jason's hand, or he would reach for her's, and they would just sit there in silence, shoulders touching, holding tight to each others hands, thinking about their friend.

The days since the Romans had left had been bittersweet and filled with adjusting. There were still many repairs to be done around Camp Half-Blood: damage caused by the war, and things neglected because of the war. And then, of course, emotional and physical damage. The wounded demigods were healing nicely, but the inner struggles and nightmares didn't fade so easily.

Leo's grinning, burning face appeared in Piper's dreams, and she was pretty sure it did in Jason's too. His final words of _I love you guys _echoed in Piper's mind, and every time she thought of it she wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

At times, it seemed like she could get used to it. Other times it didn't seem real. How could there be a world without Leo Valdez, Supreme Commander (and Repair Boy) of the Argo II? Without the crazy, clever son of Hephaestus who always had something funny to say, who could create a masterpiece out of random bits of metal and wires?

How could there be a world without one of the best friends Piper had ever had?

And yet, it seemed there was.

It had been twelve days since the Romans had left. Fifteen days since the war. Since Leo's death.

The campers were gathering in the dining pavilion for breakfast. Piper passed by Coach Hedge and Mellie heading over with little Chuck. She smiled and waved. Then she saw Jason and Annabeth standing by the Poseidon table and she broke into a run.

Jason's face lit up a little when he saw her, but both he and Annabeth looked worried.

"Good morning," Piper said. She gave Annabeth a quick hug and slid her hand into Jason's. "Is everything okay? Where's Percy?"

Annabeth glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the cabins. "I don't know. I just got here, I slept in because I stayed up late working on some architecture stuff for Olympus. I would have gone to his cabin but I assumed he'd be here. I'm gonna go look." She turned and ran towards Cabin 3.

Piper assumed Percy had just slept in as well, but she understood Annabeth's fear. Piper knew that the morning Percy had disappeared last December must have gone something like this.

"I'm sure everything's okay," Jason said. He squeezed Piper's hand, and she smiled weakly up at him. The dark circles under his eyes mirrored her own.

Chiron trotted over to his table and blew the conch horn again. A few stragglers ran up to the pavilion and campers started to get their food, but no sign of Percy and Annabeth. Piper reluctantly went to join her siblings, and Jason went to his table, where Nico di Angelo was seated.

Out of the corner of her eye, Piper saw another tall blond guy come up to Nico. It was Will Solace.

"Hey, di Angelo," Solace said. "Remember, at least _four _pieces of bacon or sausage, or it's back to the infirmary with you. Doctor's orders."

Nico scowled as Will went to join his fellow Apollo campers. The son of Hades was looking better every day, even if his recovery was in very small increments. Piper knew it was mostly thanks to Will Solace, but Piper found Will's over-protectiveness of Nico amusing.

Piper got some waffles with raspberries and maple syrup on them. As she ate, she kept looking towards the Poseidon cabin. Since Annabeth hadn't come back, Piper figured that she was inside with Percy. On one hand, Piper thought, biting her lip to hide a smirk, that could be a good thing (even though they might be breaking some rules,) but she was worried about her friends. The two of them still seemed so haunted by their experiences in Tartarus.

Piper took another bite of her waffle. Suddenly, she remembered something. Last winter, when Leo was building the Argo II, Leo had eaten waffles a lot. And there was that fun morning that lead to her and Annabeth's inside joke about stealing each others breakfast...

Piper looked down at her lap and blinked hard.

"Hey!" Someone's voice – Piper didn't recognize them – called out.

Across from Piper, her brother Mitchell's fork clattered to his plate. "Look!"

Piper's head snapped up. She followed where Mitchell was pointing. Off in the distance, above them, something gold glinted in the August sunlight.

A few of the campers closest to the edge of the pavilion got to their feet. Katie Gardener stepped out into the field. "It looks like..." she trailed off. "I don't know, some kind of golden airplane."

Nyssa jumped up and ran to Katie's side. "Not a golden airplane," she said, her voice low and kind of shaky.

The pavilion was completely silent. Piper watched as the golden _thing _came closer. Her heart hammered in her chest.

"Piper." Without Piper even realizing it, Jason had come up behind her. She couldn't tear her eyes off the golden thing, coming closer and closer, so she just reached back and gripped his arm.

"Piper," Jason said again, pulling her towards Nyssa, Katie, and the other demigods slowly gathering out in the field.

It was like everything was moving in slow motion. The golden thing in the sky came into clearer view.

_Am I dreaming? _Piper thought.

She wanted to pinch herself, but she couldn't move.

It couldn't be true.

It just couldn't be.

But then again, being a demigod was all about the impossible.

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><p><strong>Change of scenery here, as well as POV. I'm pretty sure that Calypso, Leo and Piper will be the only POVs in "Flying Free." I chose Piper for another POV because of how much I love her character and because of her close sisterly relationship to Leo. I hope the POV change isn't too weird of a jump. The story will be mainly focused on Caleo but I do want to incorporate other characters' lives as well and what I imagine them doing in this time after the war. (Another reason I added Piper's POV is to help with this.)<br>**

**Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. Please review! Reviews make me very happy! :) **


	8. Chapter VIII: Piper

***hands out cyber-Fonzies and waffles to all the reviewers, followers and favorite-ers* The great reception to this story has really amazed me! So thank you everybody! Keep up the encouraging reviews!**

**Sorry this chapter has taken a while to post. I hope you all enjoy it!**

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><p><em>I'm dreaming. For sure. <em>Piper stared up at the bronze dragon, just above the trees now. There were two people on the back of it, a boy and a girl.

_Leo? _

Jason found Piper's hand and they gripped each other tightly. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as the bronze dragon flew closer and closer.

There was no mistaking that crazy grin. Those tousled dark curls.

And the girl – she was beautiful, with long light brown hair blowing in the wind. _Calypso? _Had Leo found his way back to Ogygia? Piper's heart hammered in her chest.

Leo (how could it be him, and yet how could it be anybody_but _him?) waved at the crowd of demigods. He let out a whoop as Festus glided in for a landing. Some of the demigods backed away as Leo slid off Festus's back, but Piper could move now. She pulled her hand out of Jason's grasp and took a hesitant step.

And then she was running, tears blurring her vision. She threw her arms around Leo and squeezed him as tight as she possibly could. He was solid and warm and _alive. _

"Hey, Beauty Queen, are you wanting to suffocate me? The cure for death can only be used once, my friend."

Piper pulled back, her teary eyes shining. "You – you – " she sputtered. "How did you _do _it? You tricked me; I thought _I _had the cure!"

Jason crushed them both in a hug before Leo could say anything, and the three best friends clung to each other. Piper was sobbing, and the guys were tearing up.

"I just can't...I can't believe it!" Piper cried.

"You'd better," Leo said, his voice cracking.

Over Leo's shoulder, Piper saw the girl with the long cinnamon-colored hair standing by Festus, smiling shyly with her hand on the dragon's head. When at last the group hug broke up, Piper stepped towards her, wiping her eyes with her hand, but Leo beat her to the girl's side.

"Everyone, this is Calypso." Leo put his arm around Calypso's shoulders and brought her forward. "Calypso, I'll introduce you to _all _the campers soon, but for now - " He beckoned Piper and Jason closer. "This is Jason Grace and Piper McLean."

Jason shook Calypso's hand. "Pleased to meet you," he said, grinning. Piper smiled inwardly. _Formal as always, but he's loosening up. _She stepped forward and impulsively gave Calypso a hug. A handshake seemed to stiff and distant for this legendary girl that her surrogate brother had just brought home with him.

"I'm so glad Leo found you again," she said.

As they pulled apart, Piper saw Calypso's eyes grow wide. Piper followed her gaze and saw Annabeth and Percy coming down the hill, holding hands. Percy's hair was messed up and he was wearing fish-patterned pajama pants and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt.

"Leo?!" Annabeth exclaimed.

"What?" Percy started running down the hill, pulling Annabeth after him. "What the Hades? How?!"

"Back from the dead, man!" Leo held out his arms as if to say _ta da! _Percy and Annabeth both hugged him, asking questions all the while.

Piper reached for Jason's hand. She didn't need to ask questions. She knew Leo would tell them all in time. Tears blurred her eyes again as she saw Leo laugh at something Percy said. To think that less than an hour ago she thought she'd never see that laugh again. Then Leo stepped back and took Calypso's hand.

"I brought her back, Percy," Leo said.

Percy nodded at Calypso, smiling. "Good to see you again."

Calypso smiled back. "You too." She glanced down, seemingly at Percy's fish pajamas, with a confused look on her face.

Percy squeezed Annabeth's hand. "Calypso, this is Annabeth Chase."

Calypso didn't miss a beat – Piper was glad; it seemed like Calypso had come to terms with what had happened with Percy. "Nice to meet you," she said.

"Same here." Annabeth shook Calypso's hand. "I hope you'll like Camp Half-Blood."

Calypso looked around at all the demigods and she grinned. "I think I will," she said.

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><p><strong>A little short, but I don't have a lot of time right now. Hopefully the next chapter will be up within less than a week, we'll see... <strong>

**Please review! :) (you'll get more cyber-Fonzies... ;) **


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